Mine Like the Butterflies
by ShinobiOfNabari
Summary: It's been six years since the battle against Seimei. Ritsu hasn't seen Ritsuka or Soubi since then. Ritsuka, now eighteen, suddenly arrives at Seven Voices Academy and requests that Ritsu train him to become a better Sacrifice.
1. A Butterfly Trapped Under Glass

**MINE LIKE THE BUTTERFLIES**

**Chapter One: A Butterfly Trapped Under Glass**

Ritsu's fingers delicately caressed the frail wings of the butterfly on his desk. The Monarch's brilliantly colored orange and black wings fluttered helplessly at his touch. A smile crawled across Ritsu's lips. It was as if the butterfly could sense its impending doom, as if it thought there was even a slim chance of escape. He lifted the creature daintily and placed it in the case. Taking a pin from a small plastic container, the man drove it through the butterfly's abdomen. Its quivering wings stilled as its life was swiftly ended. Ritsu lifted the glass cover and sealed the lifeless butterfly inside. Carefully holding the case, he walked over to the wall, completely covered in similar cases, and hung it on an empty nail. He stood back, eyeless sockets seeming to admire the collection of butterfly corpses from behind the layers of bandages.

Satisfied with the newest addition to his compilation, Ritsu returned to his desk. He moved deftly, completely at ease in his small office despite his lack of eyes. He knew the exact layout of his office: his desk was in the back with a window behind it; a bookshelf and filing cabinet lay to its right with the door to his bedroom beside it; the door to the hallway lay across from his desk; a chair sat in the corner. He didn't even require a cane anymore, something he had heavily relied on in the first few years after Seimei had gouged out his eyes.

Seimei Aoyagi. How he hated that man. Seimei had taken what was most precious to Ritsu and tainted it. Soubi had been his prized student. No matter how many times Nagisa had called him a disgusting pedophile, he loved Soubi. He had enjoyed all the nights Soubi had spent in his bedroom. But Seimei had played Ritsu for a fool. He had fallen for it, and Soubi was taken away from him to serve as Fighter for a monster. He deeply regretted not being the one to write Soubi's name. He regretted relinquishing his precious slave to a different master. Now his treasured Soubi was lost permanently, forever out of his reach. _My beloved Soubi, taken away from me by the devil himself._

Such thoughts of the past were shortly interrupted by the shrill voice of Nagisa sounding over the intercom. "Ritsu! Pick up!" she huffed. She sounded irritated. Ritsu guessed the time to be around eleven, and could understand why.

Ritsu lifted the phone to his ear. "What is it, woman?" He barked.

"There's a visitor here for you!" she exclaimed, voice raised.

"You're so damn loud," Ritsu replied bluntly. He added, "Who is it?"

"Ritsuka Aoyagi."

He remained silent. Finally, he said, "Send him to my office."

Ritsu waited in silence for Ritsuka to arrive. He was slightly surprised the boy had come. He hadn't been expecting it. A wave of lust rushed over him; he was looking forward to seeing Soubi again. _Maybe there's a chance I could get him alone in my room… _He felt himself getting excited at the shook his head violently. Soubi had a Sacrifice now, and anyway, Nagisa hadn't even mentioned Soubi. It could have just been her hatred of Soubi that caused her to leave out his name, but maybe Ritsu's former slave hadn't even come. _Has Ritsuka come alone? Without my Soubi? _It seemed a bit odd. After all, Soubi and Ritsuka had been nearly inseparable during their stay at Seven Voices during the incident with Seimei. His curiosity burned and his impatience grew as he waited for the telltale sounds of footsteps.

A fist suddenly rapped on the door. "Come in!" Ritsu called. He heard the knob turning, the hinges creaking as the door was opened. Soft footsteps pattered on the carpet. Only one set of footsteps. Soubi truly had not come. "Good evening, Ritsuka-kun," he greeted, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

The boy was silent. Ritsu guessed he must have been gazing around the room, the memories of having visited with Soubi returning. Finally, he said, "Hello, Minami-san." Ritsu was surprised by the change in Ritsuka's voice. It had become deeper, though only slightly, in the six years since Ritsu had last seen him.

"Please, just call me Ritsu," the principal responded, waving off the formalities. He stood and crossed the room, stopping in front of the boy. He reached his hands for the boy's face. Ritsuka was taller than he remembered, the top of his head nearly reaching Ritsu's chin. Ritsu lightly skimmed his fingers across Ritsuka's cheeks, nose, forehead, lips, in an attempt to "see" him. The boy's features were still small and petite, like a child's. His hands passed through the boy's soft black hair, feeling like silk, and fingered the small, cute kitten ears that Ritsuka still possessed. Ritsu bit his lip to keep the smirk off his face. So Ritsuka was still a virgin. He had thought for sure Soubi would have taken care of them by now. He could feel Ritsuka squirming uncomfortably in his grip like a butterfly about to be pinned as his hands lingered on his ears. Ritsu released him and retreated back to his desk. He coughed. "Take a seat, if you'd like." He motioned to the chair in the corner as he sat in his own. Ritsuka brought the chair closer to the desk and took a seat. Ritsu folded his hands on the desk. "So, Ritsuka-kun, what brought you here at this hour?" he inquired.

"I came to Seven Voices Academy," Ritsuka began, "because I want you to train me."

Ritsu was not at all surprised. The boy wanted to become a better Sacrifice. He had seen Ritsuka's abilities when he was still a child, and they were greatly lacking. Ritsuka did not possess the knowledge of other Sacrifices who attended the school. He did not know how to properly handle his Fighter. He did not understand the necessity of ordering his Fighter. For Ritsuka's weaknesses, Soubi had been the one to suffer.

Instead of answering, Ritsu asked, "Where is Soubi-kun? I thought he would have come with you."

"I asked you to train me," Ritsuka pressed. "But you're avoiding the question, Ritsu."

_Ritsuka is so cute. _"I'm not avoiding anything," Ritsu replied.

Ritsuka let out an exasperated sigh. "I haven't seen Soubi in six years. Not since after the battle with my brother." Without giving Ritsu time to comment, Ritsuka demanded, "Now, will you train me or not?"

_Ritsuka and Soubi haven't seen each other in six years? _A smile played at the corners of Ritsu's lips. The boy was adorable. "I will train you, Ritsuka-kun," he said finally. "I will make you a great Sacrifice." His smile darkened. _And I will make you mine, like a butterfly trapped under glass._

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**A/N: **I started writing this a little while ago, and thought I would upload it. I have up to half of chapter three done so far, so I'll probably be uploading at least the second chapter pretty soon. It's RitsuxRitsuka, in case you didn't notice... I have no idea how that happened. Writing from Ritsu's point of view is surprisingly fun. At least, as long as I actually got his personality right.

Disclaimer: I do not own Loveless.


	2. Pain Tolerance

**MINE LIKE THE BUTTERFLIES**

**Chapter Two: Pain Tolerance**

Ritsu awakened early the next morning. He was anxious for the training session he was to have with Ritsuka later that day. He had already decided that he would implement his old teaching style, the ways in which he had taught Soubi. A dark smile played across his lips at the thought of it. He missed having a student like Soubi, one who was so fragile and helpless, who he could easily take advantage of. Ritsuka was just like Soubi in that respect. The boy was already weak from the abuse he endured from his mother and the separation from Soubi. Sure, Ritsuka was already eighteen, but he was still just a child. Ritsu would take advantage of his frailties, just like he had when Soubi had lost his parents.

Dressed in a plain white button-down shirt and black slacks, Ritsu headed down to the cafeteria for breakfast. It was bustling for so early. Students were already on line and sitting at tables, chattering loudly with one another. Ritsu got on line, opting only for a bowl of the bland maple and brown sugar oatmeal and coffee, and headed to one of the tables in the corner reserved for faculty. He heard Nagisa first, picking out her overly loud, shrill voice from among all the others. As he got closer, he heard the quiet voice of Nana, and guessed she must have been sitting across from Nagisa. He was slightly surprised the recluse had emerged from the security office in the basement. Ritsu set his tray down beside Nagisa's and took a seat.

Nagisa looked up at him as he sat. "What do you think you're doing, sitting next to me?" she hissed, pointing almost accusingly at him.

"There's nowhere else to sit," he replied simply. He added, "Good morning, Nana-san."

Around a spoonful of Cheerios, Nana mumbled, "'Morning, Principal."

"Where's my 'good morning'?" Nagisa exclaimed.

"You're so damn loud," Ritsu replied, as usual, and ignored her question. He leaned an elbow on the table, resting his chin on his hand, and began poking at the oatmeal with his spoon. "Where is Ritsuka-kun?"

Nagisa frowned in irritation and didn't respond. Ritsu turned to Seven.

Nana swallowed a mouthful of cereal. "Rit-chan is over on the other side of the cafeteria, by the lunch line, sitting with Zero and Breathless." She tilted her head, peering at him through round glasses, and added, "So, you're really going to be training him?"

"Of course." Ritsu took a bite of his oatmeal, feeling it scald his tongue. He washed it down with a sip of black coffee. "He should be coming to my office after breakfast."

Nagisa impaled a grape on her fork and waved it at Ritsu. "I should send my baby Zeros with him, just to be safe."

"Are you accusing me of something?"

"I just think it would be better if the two of you weren't left alone." Nagisa's eyes narrowed.

"So you _are _accusing me of something."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did to Rit-chan what you did to Soubi," Nagisa added.

"I'm not a pervert." Ritsu said flatly, a frown forming on his face.

"_Ha! _So you admit it!" Nagisa stood swiftly from her seat, waving her fork, and sent a piece of pineapple flying into his face. He felt a sticky wetness seeping uncomfortably through the bandages. The other teachers went silent and glanced over to see what all the commotion was. Nagisa slowly sat back down, blushing against the stares.

Ritsu lifted a paper napkin and dabbed pineapple juice off his cheek and nose. It was no use attempting to clean the soiled bandages; he needed to change them later. He would have rolled his eyes if he still had any. "I didn't admit anything. I did the exact opposite, in fact." However, he knew it was partially true. He really was a pervert. He had lusted for a student, for Soubi. And now he was planning to make Ritsuka his slave as well. He would never admit this to Nagisa, not as long as he lived. Though Ritsuka was eighteen, legally an adult, he was still technically a child. Ritsu was over twice his age. If Nagisa ever found out about any of this, she would flip out. He would need to try hard to avoid any unnecessary attention.

The three Septimal Moon members remained silent throughout the rest of the meal. Ritsu finished first, anxious to get back to his office to await training with Ritsuka. He nodded in farewell to Nagisa and Nana before heading to drop off his tray. He immediately headed for the cafeteria door and easily made it back to his office. Ritsu sat down behind his desk. The bell rang several minutes later, signaling the end of breakfast. Ritsuka would arrive soon. Ritsu's anticipation grew as he stared blindly in the direction of the door.

He smiled to himself as the light knock sounded at his door. "Come in," Ritsu called. He heard the door squeak open. "Good morning, Ritsuka-kun." He didn't even need to hear the boy's voice to know who it was.

"Good morning, Ritsu," Ritsuka replied.

Ritsu chuckled. "You should be calling me Ritsu-_sensei _from now on," he corrected. "I am your teacher now, after all."

"Right. Ritsu-sensei," he repeated, as if testing out how it sounded. He pulled the chair over closer to Ritsu's desk and took a seat. Ritsu could hear his tail swishing expectantly.

"Now, before we get started with your training, Ritsuka-kun," Ritsu began, folding his hands together on his desk, "I need you to promise me something." He paused, and then continued, "My training methods are a bit… _different _from other teachers in this school. I need your word that you will not argue with my training methods. If you disagree with any of it, you must not say a word. If you try to fight with me over my methods even once, I will refuse to train you. You want to become a better Sacrifice for Soubi, don't you?"

Ritsuka hesitated. He was silent for a long moment. Ritsu's eyeless sockets seemed to bore into him through the bandages, willing him to make a decision. Finally, Ritsuka solemnly replied, "I promise, Ritsu-sensei, that I will not argue with any of your training methods." His voice became imploring, sounding almost cute to Ritsu. "Please, train me to be a great Sacrifice. For Soubi."

Ritsu leaned his lips to his hands folded in front of him on the desk, hiding the sadistic smile on his face. "Very well, Ritsuka-kun. We will get started right away."

"What's first, Sensei?" Ritsuka asked warily. He seemed to be a bit cautious after the promise he made to Ritsu.

The principal stood and headed for the filing cabinet between his bookshelf and the door to his bedroom. He replied simply, "Pain tolerance."

"Pain… tolerance?" the boy repeated.

"A sacrifice," Ritsu began, sliding open the second drawer of the filing cabinet, "must be able to endure intense pain." He retrieved his whip from its hiding place among the files and turned to face Ritsuka, the weapon in hand. He heard the boy intake a sharp breath. Ritsu didn't even bother to hide the sadistic smile this time as it overtook his lips.

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**A/N: **Yay, another chapter~. Thanks to those who reviewed! :3 I won't be able to update for a week, maybe longer, depending on how much homework I have. Just for a warning, the next chapter will have creeper!Ritsu and his oh-so-lovely training methods.


	3. You Must Withstand, You Must Endure

**MINE LIKE THE BUTTERFLIES**

**Chapter Three: You Must Withstand; You Must Endure**

Ritsuka's screams echoed throughout the office. Ritsu relished the sound of the boy's pain. He was almost… _turned on _by it. The principal licked his lips and brought the whip down once more on Ritsuka's back, savoring the delicious sounds of his pained cries. Ritsu heard the boy topple to the ground, smacking his head on the dull gray wall. He whimpered softly. "Quit crying and get up, Ritsuka-kun," Ritsu growled. He grabbed the boy's bare arms, hauling him to his feet. He could feel a warm liquid dripping from the lashes on Ritsuka's back and arms. Ritsuka leaned his forehead on the wall. His breath came in short gasps. Images of Soubi, similarly cringing away from him, flashed forth in Ritsu's mind as he recalled his old teachings, the same words he had once spoken to his former prized student. "Ritsuka-kun," he repeated the boy's name, "never raise your voice. You must grit your teeth. You…" Ritsu leaned forward, placing his hands on the boy's small shoulders. Ritsuka was shaking, a sheen of sweat covering his skin. Ritsu's lips hovered next to the boy's left ear as he finished: "_You_ will be able to withstand."

"R-Ritsu-s-sensei," Ritsuka stammered. Fear was audible in his tiny voice.

Ritsu caressed the boy's arms lovingly. He felt Ritsuka shudder at his touch. "Pain triggers fear. But you must not fear pain. You must feel it. Pain is a signal to caution. Pain and fear are shields, if you learn how to use them. A Sacrifice must be able to endure pain. They cannot always rely on their Fighter to defend. Feeling pain is unavoidable in any spell battle. If you want to win, you must endure." Ritsu stepped back, clenching the smooth handle of the whip in his hand. "Now, turn your back to me. Hands on the wall. We will continue."

Ritsuka remained still for a long moment. He calmed his breathing and straightened up, then placed his hands flat on the wall. His eyes closed, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. The boy tensed his body, preparing for the next blow.

After hearing Ritsuka still, Ritsu raised the whip over his head and brought it down on the boy's back. The sound of the weapon slicing through his skin was audible. Ritsu could picture the red welt clearly in his mind, crimson blood oozing from the injury he had inflicted. A deadly smile pulled at the corners of his lips. He lashed Ritsuka across the back with the whip again, and was immediately rewarded with an aggrieved gasp.

Ritsu was so used to training Soubi, who, by the end of his training, never uttered even the slightest sound when he was abused like this. Unlike Soubi, Ritsuka was not yet accustomed to the intense pain that came with being whipped. Ritsu almost preferred training Ritsuka. Ritsuka was not his precious Soubi, but whipping him actually gave some sort of reaction. It was this reaction that Ritsu loved. The provocative mewls and screams pouring from the boy's lips were turning him on.

What he wanted now, more than anything, was to _touch _Ritsuka. He wanted to stroke the boy's skin, dampened with sweat, to feel his body, trembling in pain and fear. And he wanted to do so much more than simply that. He _wanted _to, but he suppressed his desires. _Not yet, _he thought. _It is much too soon to take his ears._

But if that was the case, and he was not going to take the young boy right then and there, he would have to stop with his training for the day. It was taking everything in him to keep from throwing the boy to the wall and fulfilling his desires. It seemed Ritsuka was near his breaking point as well; once again, the poor thing slid to the floor, leaning his face against the wall. "P-please, Sensei… No more…" he whimpered.

Ritsu considered striking him once more, just for good measure, but refrained. He didn't need to _kill _the boy, especially not before he had his fun. "All right," he said reluctantly, lowering the whip. Ritsuka let out a relieved sigh, seeming to relax now.

But the older man was not quite finished yet. He knelt down silently behind the boy. His long, pale fingers reached out to lightly skim Ritsuka's back. The boy let out a startled gasp, shivering at the cold touch against his warm skin. The fingers immediately encountered the bleeding, jagged wounds; warm blood, still trickling from the injuries, dampened his fingers. Right beside the boy's ear, Ritsu breathed, "Does it hurt?"

"A l-little," Ritsuka stammered, shivering once more. An obvious lie. It hurt all too much, a fact of which both knew.

The man just couldn't help himself anymore; having the boy so close and so vulnerable was just too tempting. He would not take his ears just yet, but that didn't mean he couldn't give in to _other _desires. Leaning his face down towards Ritsuka's back, his tongue snaked between his lips; he touched it lightly to a long welt. Ritsuka mewled, flinching away from the sudden wetness on his back, but Ritsu roughly grasped his arms, nails digging into the delicate skin, to keep him in place. His tongue slowly worked its way along the wound, tasting the boy's blood. He could detect the tang of iron, and another flavor that seemed to belong distinctly to Ritsuka. As he moved lower and lower along the boy's back, Ritsu couldn't help but let out a small moan. Ritsuka tensed in response. Oh, how he wanted to go _even further—_

But he stopped. Releasing Ritsuka from his grip, the man stood abruptly, earning a small noise of surprise from the boy. He took the whip with him and moved swiftly back to his desk. It was too soon. Much too soon for the young Sacrifice to lose his ears. If he hadn't been careful, hadn't forced himself to stop, he would have done so prematurely. It hadn't become necessary, as part of his "training," to do so yet. So Ritsu would wait.

The principal reopened the filing cabinet, folding the whip neatly and tucking it away between the files. He then took a seat back at his desk and crossed his legs. After a few moments of silence, sounds of Ritsuka moving reached the principal's ears. The young boy moved about, presumably redressing himself in his t-shirt.

The hesitant voice spoke up, "U-umm, Ritsu-sensei…"

"What?" the principal deadpanned.

Ritsuka began, "Can I go to the infirm—"

"No," Ritsu interrupted firmly. "You will deal with the pain. A Sacrifice must be able to endure it. Or have you already forgotten?" He nonchalantly shuffled through stacks of the paperwork he could not see, never turning his face up in the direction of the boy.

Ritsuka remained silent. Then came sounds of him settling down in the chair in front of the desk, wincing as, Ritsu guessed, his wounds brushed against the back of the chair.

The principal hid a smirk. Breaking the boy would not be too difficult, it seemed. And then Ritsuka truly _would _become his—

"Sensei?"

Thoughts interrupted, he snapped, "What is it?"

The timid reply came: "Why are you doing this?"

And the principal lapsed into a long silence.

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**A/N: **Alright, so, I actually managed to find time to finish chapter three sooner than I expected. It's my first time writing something like this. I felt awkward. If it sounds awkward too, I apologize.


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